We've been having some water pressure problems. We installed a reverse osmosis water filter and it will generate a glass of water a day. Apparently the problem is with water pressure.

We have a spring and a cistern. There is a pump that looks like our irrigation pump sitting next to a pressure tank.

What do we do to increase water pressure in the house?

Also, we have some sand in our lines. Is there something we can rig up in the pump house to collect sand?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), August 05, 2001

Answers

you have a cistern,, AND sand in your lines? flush your cistern,, and the lines to remove the sand. That MAY fix the pressure problem,, most pumps dont pump sand to well. Then check to see HOW the sand is getting in,, shallow spring? Might want to install a filter after the spring,, before the cistern to catch the sand

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), August 05, 2001.

I'm going through some pressure problems down on our place. There are some variables that must be addressed. I have a three horse submersable that at fist blush you'd think should give me all the pressure that I need. On talking to the pump guy, he allows that this is a high volume (30 GPM), low pressure irrigation pump. I could get the job done with say a 3/4 or 1 horse 10 GMP pump that sould give me all the pressure that I need.

As I mull that one over, while he is there, he checks the pressure tank and finds that the air pressure has bled off and has ouly about 12 pouns of air in it. He tweeked the pressure switch to go on and off a little higher (50 - 80 psi, instead of 40 - 60) and with the system shut down and drained, I put 50 psi of air in the tank. Now I have somewhat respectable pressure and am working out how I can put together the other system.

-- Willy Allen (willyallen2@yahoo.com), August 05, 2001.

check the end of your line in the well to make sure it's high enough off the bottom to not stir up sand. You should have a particle filter on it also. Take a look at your pressure tank and find the pressure switch. you should have low and high pressure adjustments there. Also check the bladder pressure with a tire gauge, most are between 35-40lbs.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), August 05, 2001.

Hi Paul,

Hubby did over ten years working for United Hydro (water filtration and reverse osmosis systems) I told him what was going on and he said it could be one of two things possibly both.

1. Your well point has collapsed. The end of the pvc that has the fine lines in it has gotten a hole in it.

2. The well casing may be collapsing and needs to be put back together or replaced, this is assuming that you are using pvc.

If you check both of these and neither one is the problem let me know and I will pick his brain some more.

-- stephanie nosacek (pospossum@earthlink.net), August 05, 2001.